About this Blog post:
Ever since I started travelling, I have embarked on many
tours; some with friends, some with family; some alone and some through Tour
organizers. While I have enjoyed all these, some tours stand out and one
amongst them is our Char Dham Yatra in Sep 2019, which started this same day
last year, 2019.
Looking back, I would rank this as ‘the’ tour, the Mother of all
tours as it involved enormous planning, preparation, coordination, fitness
level and determination. Even now on days when I struggle to sleep at night,
when I go over those days- on the banks of such holy rivers as Ganga or the shivering Tharpana done at Badrinath, I will
never know when I was lulled into sleep! Such is the impact it had on us, that
given an opportunity, we would like to undertake the same yatra again. I have captured
all those fine moments immediately on our return in my blog, which can be reached at:
https://kapalicanvas.blogspot.com/2019/10/wandering-through-himalayas-char-dham.html
I would like to relive those wonderful days of last year and
so I am planning to walk through the same road but only with memories captured
through some selected photos of hundreds taken on that yatra, taking care to
ensure that I do not repeat what I have already shared.
This I am planning to
post in my Picture blog under the caption of “Reliving Char Dham 2019”, on a daily basis. Here we go:
Day-1 : 11-Sep-2019:
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| Flight to New Delhi |
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| Off to Dehradun |
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| Amongst Currencies at Dehradun airport, on the way to the land of Rishis |
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| Smooth drive from Dheradun to Rishikesh |
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| First Feel of Ganga Matha on this Yatra |
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| Happy faces after the holy Dip at Rishikesh |
Day-2 : 12-Sep-2019:
Travel from Rishikesh to Barkot
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Invoking Vinayaka's Blessings at Rishikesh before proceeding to Barkot
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Ever accompanying streams
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Fascinating water paths
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| Winding water bodies |
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Frothing streams
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| Cloud capped mountains |
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Amazing Green
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| Natural falls |
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Falling for the falls
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Backed by nature
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Neivedyam before Prasad distribution (Lunch)
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| Lunch time |
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More gushes after lunch
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| Briefing on arrival at Barkot |
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| Cottage under picturesque setting - Barkot |
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Clean Rooms at Barkot
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In the Constant Company of Yamuna - outside the cottage
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Tete-a- tete with Yamuna
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Tryst with Yamuna at Dusk
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After the holy dip in Yamuna
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Day-3 : 13-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Yamunotri
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Early Morning travel from Barkot
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As we climbed up
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Jankichatti
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Waiting Ponies
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Mobbed by Doliwallahs
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All set to go
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Road Ahead... KMs to go !!
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On a Doli
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| Facilities in Place |
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Winding path
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Treacherous terrain
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Pony traffic
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Never short of streams
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One KM done !
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Pithu - another option to go up
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Another KM devoured
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Steep climb challenges for Dolis
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Close encounters with oncoming traffic
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climbing fast- One more KM done!
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Crowd undeterred
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Winding gorges, adamantly accompanying yatris
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Asked to walk few steps to get the gains of the holy visit!
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Keeping track of the partner !!
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Path travelled so far
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Doliwallahs carrying the yatri
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Doli wallah sweat a steep climb
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Oncoming traffic
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Nearing... Only one more KM
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Did we climb this high ???
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Sitting pretty while the poor doliwallah sweats
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Holy Dham sighted
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Gushing Yamuna leading yatris to the Dham
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Tapta Kunda- With hot water at that height !
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After the enlightening dip in the Tapta Kunda, Yamunotri
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Yamuna Matha
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Satisfaction writ large after dharshan
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Amazingly feeling secured with the Holy Dham's backing
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Yamuna River
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Tricky return ride (or slide?)
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Our vehicle to the Holy Dham - Doli
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Our Palanquin bearers - the great Doli wallahs
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Back to base at Jankichatty
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Yamuna Matha ki Jai !
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Day-4 : 14-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Uttarkashi
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Breakfast at Barkot
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Team waiting to depart
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Capturing as much of Barkot.....
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Barkot unmatched !
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Enjoying the environs
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With Yamuna
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Camp site
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Tents under natural roof
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Bye Yamuna !!
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Pravachan during travel
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Decent accommodation at Uttarkashi
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Strategically located room overlooking the flowing Bhageerathi
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Bhageerathi view from Balcony
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Lunch in progress
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What cold... ? Bhageerathi Snanam
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Uttarkashi Vishwanath temple sighted
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Uttarkashi Vishwanath temple entrance
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Pravachan at Uttarkashi Temple
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Audience in rapt attention to the delightful pravachan
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Delicately designed Mathaji temple
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Sakshi Gopal Sannadhi
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Tilting Sivalinga with Markandeya
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With Yatra Director, who made a lot of difference
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Day-5 : 15-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Gangotri
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Adamant river accompanying a 3 AM departure
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In the company of silver streams
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Changing colours
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Close to habitats, at times
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Silent force
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Route lined up with colorful attractions
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Summer place of the Deity
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Reached .... at last !!
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At Dev Bhoomi
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Small distance but with facilities for needy
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South Indian 'Idly' !
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The Holy Dham
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First Click with the place we yearned for
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After a satisfying dharshan
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Getting ready
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Waiting for other yatris
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Bhageerathi beckons
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Fast and Furious
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Frightening but adorable
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Panditji performing the rituals on the banks of Bhageerathi
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After honoring the ancestors
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Bhageerath Sthal
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Delighted Group
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Day-6 : 16-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Travel from Uttarkashi to Joshimutt
Day-7 : 17-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Sankara Math (Joshimath), Joshimath, Vishnuprayag, Pandukeshwar, Mana Village, Badrinath
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| Neelkanth Morning View |
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Wading through dark alleys of Joshimath
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2500 year old tree at Sankara Mutt
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| At the famed 2500 year old tree |
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| Traditional Siva temple |
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Clear Signs to Yatris
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Sankara Math at Joshimath
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Ambal
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Bhagawathi Amman
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To the Cave which was locked
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Front elevation of Sankara Math at Joshimath
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Panoramic view of Joshimath from Sankara Math
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Joshimath (Divya Desam)
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Holy Joshimath sighted
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At the Divya Desam
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Side entrance
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Chanting of Narasimha pranama
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Strong Background
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Vasudeva Sannadhi
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Elegant view of the tower
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Captivating aerial view of Joshimath town
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Vishnuprayag:
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Vishnu Prayag entrance
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| Dauli Ganga meeting Alaknanda |
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At the Vishnuprayag Sangamam
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Significance of Vishnuprayag Sangam
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About Vishnuprayag
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Pandukeshwar temples:
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Pandukeshwar Temples welcome
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Way to Go
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Panoramic view enroute
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Risky Trek
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Usual friend
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Pandukeshwar temples- Birth place of Pandavas
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Official Info
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Hanuman Chatti:
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| Hanuman Chatti where Hanumanji is believed to takes over the welfare of Badri pilgrims |
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Awaiting Dharshan , before proceeding to Badri
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Mana Village:
Badrinath:
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| Mandakini in full flow |
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Alaknanda, with scary speed
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Rituals at Brahma Kapal in freezing conditions
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To the Temple
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Badri Vishal
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| Glowing Badri Vishal |
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Night view of Badrinath
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Day-8 : 18-Sep-2019:
Schedule: Badrinath to Gupta Kashi
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| Breathtaking morning view of Neelkanth |
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Clouded peaks at Badrinath
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Neelkanth at Dawn
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Leaving cloudy Badri with a heavy heart
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Short climb to Vridha badri
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Vridha Badri route
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Climbing through dense forest
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| Trekking through mountain ranges |
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Jubilant group after a delightful pravachan and dharshan
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Rudraprayag (Enroute)
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| Rudraprayag- Confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini |
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Rudraprayag
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At the confluence - Rudraprayag
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Grand view of the rivers roaring below
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Sneaking through narrow passages
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| Passing through the Town |
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Gupta Kashi - Opted for Tent stay
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Enjoying tent life in cloudy weather
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Tent comforts at Gupta Kashi
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| Tent experiences |
Day-9 : 19-Sep-2019:-Schedule: Guptakashi temple enroute to Kirtinagar
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| Kirtinagar_Photographers delight |
Day-11 : 21-Sep-2019
Schedule: Devaprayag (Divya Desam) and Haridwar
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| Devaprayag, Divya Desam |
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Mathaji, near the Sangam
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Before the holy dip at the Sangam
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| Sankalpam, before the Holy dip |
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| Devaprayag - Where Alaknanda and Bhageerathi meet at the Sangamam to run as Ganga |
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| Scenic Ganga |
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Ganga, winding her way
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After the coveted Ganga Snan at the hoy Sangam
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With Ganga Matha
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At the Sangam Ghat
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Bye, Devaprayag
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| Mundane attractions near the river |
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| Enroute to Haridwar |
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Yatra Director, Venkatesh Prabhu interacting in the bus
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Parting shot from Devaprayag, as we move away
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Nearing Haridwar . . . .
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| Comfortable Haridwar Room |
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| Dakshewara Mahadev Temple, Khankal, Hardiwar |
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| Dakshewara Mahadev Temple, Khankal, Hardiwar |
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| Prachin Mandir, Haridwar |
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| Maha Mrityunjaya Mandir, Haridwar |
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Mayadevi Mandir, Haridwar
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| Haridwar Haarthi |
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| Haridwar, people gathering for Haarthi |
Day-12 : 22-Sep-2019:
Schedule: travel back home
Thanks giving time
This concludes my picturesque journey down the memory lane of Char Dham 2019
Jai Badri Vishal ! Kedarnath ki Jai !!
